Abstract
Crop production in small-scale farming communities in semi-arid Central Namibia faces significant challenges due to the high costs associated with irrigation and fertilizers. This study evaluated the impact of different irrigation levels (full and reduced) and six types of soil amendments—biochar, compost, zeolite, NPK, Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, hoof and horn combined with a bone meal (HHB meal), and control on the economic benefits of cabbage production and assessed their feasibility. In the first experiment, irrigation was implemented at 79.6 m³ (100% of the water requirement) for four days a week, classified as full irrigation, and at 39.6 m³ (50% of the water requirement) for two days a week, termed reduced irrigation. Among the fully irrigated treatments, Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, zeolite, and NPK demonstrated the highest Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs) at 3.81, 3.67, and 3.65, respectively. In the second experiment, irrigation schedules were adjusted to five and four days per week, using a total of 136.0 m³ (170% of the water requirement) and 124.8 m³ (150% of the water requirement) of water. The compost, HHB meal, and NPK application rates were also modified. The fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK, and reduced irrigation with HHB meal achieved the highest and comparable yields of marketable cabbage heads per hectare, with BCRs of 3.43, 3.24, and 3.29, respectively. In conclusion, utilizing fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK, and reduced irrigation with HHB meal could be effective practices for sustainable crop production in the semi-arid, sandy soil conditions typical of Central Namibia. Moreover, local biochar production could enhance sustainability by reducing overall production costs.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel had the highest benefit-cost ratio of 3.81 among the fully irrigated treatments.
- Taxon
- CABBAGE
Brassica oleracea var. capitatat0 - Treatment
- Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogele1
- Outcome
- Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs)e1
- Direction
- higheste1
- Value
- 3.81e1
- Comparator
- fully irrigated treatmentse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e1“Among the fully irrigated treatments, Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, zeolite, and NPK demonstrated the highest Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs) at 3.81, 3.67, and 3.65, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Zeolite had a benefit-cost ratio of 3.67 among the fully irrigated treatments.
- Taxon
- CABBAGEBrassica oleracea var. capitatat0
- Treatment
- zeolitee1
- Outcome
- Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs)e1
- Direction
- higheste1
- Value
- 3.67e1
- Comparator
- fully irrigated treatmentse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e1“Among the fully irrigated treatments, Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, zeolite, and NPK demonstrated the highest Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs) at 3.81, 3.67, and 3.65, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
NPK had a benefit-cost ratio of 3.65 among the fully irrigated treatments.
- Taxon
- CABBAGEBrassica oleracea var. capitatat0
- Treatment
- NPKe1
- Outcome
- Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs)e1
- Direction
- higheste1
- Value
- 3.65e1
- Comparator
- fully irrigated treatmentse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e1“Among the fully irrigated treatments, Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, zeolite, and NPK demonstrated the highest Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs) at 3.81, 3.67, and 3.65, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
The fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK and reduced irrigation with HHB meal achieved the highest and comparable yields of marketable cabbage heads per hectare.
- Taxon
- CABBAGEBrassica oleracea var. capitatat0
- Treatment
- fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK, and reduced irrigation with HHB meale2
- Outcome
- yields of marketable cabbage heads per hectaree2
- Direction
- higheste2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e2“The fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK, and reduced irrigation with HHB meal achieved the highest and comparable yields of marketable cabbage heads per hectare, with BCRs of 3.43, 3.24, and 3.29, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
The fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel had a benefit-cost ratio of 3.43 in the second experiment.
- Taxon
- CABBAGEBrassica oleracea var. capitatat0
- Treatment
- Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogele2
- Outcome
- BCRse2
- Value
- 3.43e2
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e2“The fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK, and reduced irrigation with HHB meal achieved the highest and comparable yields of marketable cabbage heads per hectare, with BCRs of 3.43, 3.24, and 3.29, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
NPK had a benefit-cost ratio of 3.24 in the second experiment.
- Taxon
- CABBAGEBrassica oleracea var. capitatat0
- Treatment
- NPKe2
- Outcome
- BCRse2
- Value
- 3.24e2
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e2“The fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK, and reduced irrigation with HHB meal achieved the highest and comparable yields of marketable cabbage heads per hectare, with BCRs of 3.43, 3.24, and 3.29, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Reduced irrigation with HHB meal had a benefit-cost ratio of 3.29 in the second experiment.
- Taxon
- CABBAGEBrassica oleracea var. capitatat0
- Treatment
- reduced irrigation with HHB meale2
- Outcome
- BCRse2
- Value
- 3.29e2
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e2“The fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK, and reduced irrigation with HHB meal achieved the highest and comparable yields of marketable cabbage heads per hectare, with BCRs of 3.43, 3.24, and 3.29, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK and reduced irrigation with HHB meal could be effective practices for sustainable crop production in Central Namibia.
- Taxon
- CABBAGEBrassica oleracea var. capitatat0
- Outcome
- effective practices for sustainable crop productione3
- Setting
- Central Namibiae3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e3“In conclusion, utilizing fully irrigated Be-Grow Boost (L) hydrogel, NPK, and reduced irrigation with HHB meal could be effective practices for sustainable crop production in the semi-arid, sandy soil conditions typical of Central Namibia”
Claim · model-written summary
Local biochar production could enhance sustainability by reducing overall production costs.
- Taxon
- CABBAGEBrassica oleracea var. capitatat0
- Treatment
- local biochar productione4
- Outcome
- sustainabilitye4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“CABBAGE”
e4“Moreover, local biochar production could enhance sustainability by reducing overall production costs”
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